By Staff Reports
(Kauai)– The County of Kaua’i has signed on to take the Better Buildings Challenge and pledged to reduce energy use on its facilities by 20 percent by the year 2020.
The county joins more than 40 states and municipalities along with corporate, industrial and educational partners that are taking the challenge since it was launched last year by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Among the benefits of the program include getting free technical assistance and learning about energy efficiency measures and approaches that have been successful for participating organizations.
“We welcome the opportunity to participate in the Better Buildings Challenge, which aims to improve energy efficiency in buildings and reduce carbon emissions across the country,” said Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. “This program will enhance our efforts to improve energy usage within the county, and hopefully, inspire the business community to move forward on their own energy efficiency measures.”
Other in-house energy saving initiatives implemented by the county over the last few years, include:
* Establishment of the Staff-Level Green Team whose mission is to improve the county’s resource management that will result in cost-savings and reduce the county’s carbon footprint. So far, the team has rolled out five projects including: refrigerator replacement; thermostat settings; disposables to reusables; ride sharing; and paper reduction.
* Purchase of five electric vehicles and installation of five EV changing stations for county use and five for public use through an American Recovery & Reinvestment Act grant.
* Use of energy savings performance contracts that involve retrofits and capital improvements while focusing on energy savings.
* Installation of renewable energy systems at the Lîhu’e Civic Center, Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Kaiakea fire station.
“All of these energy-saving and sustainable initiatives, combined with thoughtful land use planning, improved transit systems, along with Smart Growth principles, help us to move toward our long-term goal of becoming less oil dependent,” said County Energy Coordinator Ben Sullivan.
He noted that all of the projects also have the potential to boost economic activity on Kaua’i.
Above and beyond the county’s internal efforts, the community developed the Kaua’i Energy Sustainability Plan for the entire island under the guidance of SENTECH Hawai’i LLC, Maurice Kaya LLC, and Kaua’i Planning and Action Alliance. One of the goals of the plan is to achieve 100 percent energy sustainability by 2030 with strategies for both the electricity and transportation sectors.
The increased use of alternative energy sources and improving energy efficiency is part of Mayor Carvalho’s Holo Holo 2020 vision.
This vision calls for all organizations, businesses, residents and visitors on Kaua’i to be part of creating an island that is sustainable, values the native culture, has a thriving and healthy economy, cares for all – keiki to kupuna – and has a responsible and user-friendly local government.